Wine in Hand, Ana Navarro’s Freewheeling ADL Speech

Republican strategist and political commentator Ana Navarro, sipping from a glass of wine, veered on and off script as she addressed the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) National Leadership Summit in Washington, DC on Monday night.

Navarro, who is known for her fierce opposition to Donald Trump in her capacity as a political contributor on CNN, recounted the controversial moments of the 2016 presidential campaign, concluding that the Jewish community cannot rely on President Trump to stand up against bigotry and anti-Semitism. “Donald Trump has not made America great again,” she said, “Donald Trump has made American hate again. Today, we have a President who is either a bigot or has complacently allowed it because it served his political purposes. And it did – he won. But that was the wrong thing to do.”

In between those remarks, Navarro — either for the purpose of entertaining or under the influence of wine — took no prisoners while discussing the Trump Administration.

From her intro: “Did you guys hear how Barbra Streisand is blaming her weight gain on Trump? Stop laughing! I am too. It’s like I am pregnant with this baby, Rosemary’s baby. I do not know what to do about this. I cannot stop eating and drinking since this man got elected… By the way, are there any Trump supporters in the room? Go ahead, this is a room full of great tolerance. We can accept you. You might be in the wrong room, though. If there are any Trump supporters here, you’re welcome. Put your knives down. I will find something nice to say about him: He’s been good for Israel. Okay, I am done. I should also tell you… I am Ashkenazi Jewish — and Sephardic. And I am also the descendant of slaves, and Hispanic. So basically, Donald Trump has offended all of me, every single part of me. I ended up having an unbroken DNA thread with Amy Schumer, which means I am also a distant cousin of Chuck Schumer. Oy!”

Viewer discretion advised: “I know you all stand against defamation, but I am going to ask for a little bit dispensation today. Can I? Look, there is no way I can talk about the state of our government, about the state of politics today without attacking a couple of people. But if it’s warranted, accurate and true, it’s not defamation. It’s justice.”

The one good thing about Trump: “Like I said, I am going to say one good thing about Donald Trump today: I think he has been supportive of Israel’s right to exist. I am not sure he can find Israel on the map. I am not sure he doesn’t think it’s a deli in the Bronx. But nevertheless, he’s been supportive and for that one little thing, I am grateful… Other than liking matzah — in the same way he likes taco bowls — Donald Trump does understand that Israel has the right to exist, and that is – in my eyes – one of his few saving graces.”

On Jared’s Middle East portfolio: “I am not sure how much Jared understands [about the Middle East], but, you know, he’s got a lot on his plate. Keeping Ivanka happy can’t be easy. Getting his family out of financial straits can’t be easy either.”

On Steve Bannon: “What do you do with Steve Bannon? I don’t know what to tell you. Look — oy! They keep saying that Jared and Ivanka are Jewish, so, you know, Trump is good because his daughter and son-in-law are Jewish. Well, go to them. I mean, surely you’ve got friends who know these people. Um. Hell, even I have friends who know these people. That’s why I am not deported yet – yet.”